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The feds sent a hearty bah-humbug to participants and organizers of a large NFL survivor pool this week, according to emails obtained by The Linemakers on Sporting News.

The alleged pool organizer sent an email to participants Wednesday, saying: “I had a nice little visit from the IRS tonight.... They have shut down the Pool and seized the money... There will be no payout this year and as of now, all money is in the hands of the Federal Government... I apologize for this but there is absolutely nothing I can do...”

The alleged organizer, who has not responded to interview requests, also sent out a picture of the seizure warrant and the case number. A legal source confirmed with the Eastern District Court of Missouri the case number and said the documents involving the case are sealed pursuant to an order from the federal magistrate judge handling the case. When reached by The Linemakers, the court clerk declined to comment further.

According to a player in the pool, the prize money had reached more than $200,000 for the original pool, with around 20 of the approximately 2,300 participants still in the hunt. The entry fee was $100 with 10 percent of the prize pool going to charity, the source said.

There was also a second-chance pool with a prize of $50,000 that involved players who were knocked out of the original pool.

In survivor pools, players pick an NFL team each week to win straight up. They cannot use the same team twice.